A crocodile, wishing to get a monkey's heart for his wife, entices a monkey onto his back, but at the critical time, the monkey persuades him that he left his heart in a tree and escapes when land is approached.

80. Yo ca uppatitaṁ atthaṁ na khippam-anubujjhati,
He who does not attend quickly to the advantage that is present,

Amittavasam-anveti, pacchā ca anutappati.
Goes under the power of foes, he regrets it in the future.

81. Yo ca uppatitaṁ atthaṁ khippam-eva nibodhati,
He who attends quickly to the advantage that is present,

Muccate sattusambādhā, na ca pacchānutappati.
Is freed from the press of his enemy, he does not regret it in the future.

Jā 370 Palāsajātakaṁ
Foilage

Not all Growth is Advantageous

A goose warns a tree-god that a banyan sapling that was taking hold in its home would eventually destroy it. The warning was ignored and the tree succumbed.

82. Na tassa vuddhi kusalappasatthā,
That growth is not praised by the virtuous,

Someone stole some ploughshares and when questioned said that mice had taken them away; in return his accusor carried off the thief's son and said a hawk had done it. This is the Bodhisatta's comment and solution to the problem.

83. Saṭhassa sāṭheyyam-idaṁ sucintitaṁ,
This treachery towards the treacherous is well thought-out,

Paccoḍḍitaṁ paṭikūṭassa kūṭaṁ,
Fraudulence towards the fraudulent is but a snare laid in return,

In the story a man called Wicked hates his name so he is advised to search for a new one. He comes across Life who had just died, Wealthy who was poor, and Guide who was lost in a forest. Then he realised a name is just a name, nothing more.

94. Jīvakañ-ca mataṁ disvā, Dhanapāliñ-ca duggataṁ,
Having seen Life lying dead, Wealthy who was poor,

Panthakañ-ca vane mūḷhaṁ, Pāpako puna-r-āgato.
And Guide lost in the wood, Wicked came (home) again.

Jā 207 Assakajātakaṁ
Poverty

The Impermanence of Desire

A negligent queen gets reborn as a worm, and is made by the Bodhisatta to speak to her grieving King, who when he hears about her love for her new husband abandons his grief.

95. Navena sukhadukkhena porāṇaṁ apithīyati,
Former pleasure and pain are shut out by the new,

Tasmā Assakaraññā va kīṭo piyataro mamaṁ.
Therefore a worm to me is more lovely than King Assaka.

Sn 1.11 Vijayasuttaṁ
Success

Lack of Insight

The Buddha describes the loathsomeness of the body and concludes the discourse with these verses.

Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā, na haneyya na ghātaye.
After comparing oneself (with others), one should not kill or have (them) killed.

Dhp 131 Sambahulakumārakavatthu Dhp 131 = Udāna 2.3. 13
Many Youths

The Desire for Happiness

As the Buddha goes on his alms-round he sees a group of boys tormenting a snake for fun. He admonishes them with this verse.

99. Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni yo daṇḍena vihiṁsati,
* He who harms with a stick beings who also desire happiness

Attano sukham-esāno, pecca so na labhate sukhaṁ.
While himself seeking happiness, will not find happiness after passing away.

Jā 362 Sīlavīmaṁsajātakaṁ
Enquiring into Virtue

Virtue and Learning

The Bodhisatta wishes to find out which is more important, virtue or learning, and takes a coin a day from the King until on the third day he is arrested. He then understands which is most valued in the world.